786 20 70359 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Monday, March 18, 2002 9:51 AM Don't discriminate against gay partners! The proposed benefits package you are offering survivors of 9/11 adds another tragic, shameful experience to those survivors who lost gay partners in the 9/11 tragedy. The very *least* you could do is try to be fair. Putting fetuses and illegal aliens at more of an advantage than gay partners is absolutely unimaginable and brings shame upon all Americans.... Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-18 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojR001713.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-03-18 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Mr. Kenneth L. Zwick, Director Office of Management Programs Civil Division U.S. Department of Justice Main Building, Room 3140 950 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC 20530 1/14/2001 Dear Mr. Zwick, My son, &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp and his wife &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp worked for &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp at &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp World Trade Center. Both perished in the September 11th disaster. Ther were no children in the marriage. &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp name appeared in the NY Times several days later as one of the victims whose body was identified. The identification was confirmed by the New York City Medical Examiner's office. A representative of &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Funeral Home in &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp went up to New York City and brought &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp body back. Death certificates were issued. A private memorial service was arranged for the family with a memorial mass the next morning at &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Church &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp with cremation to follow in accordance with &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp previously expressed wishes. Shortly before the memorial service for the family was to begin, I received a telephone call from the Funeral Director advising that a key ring had been found in trousers on &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp body and initials on the key ring were not his. I furnished the Medical Examiners office with &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp dental X-Rays and his tooth brush for DNA testing. Later that same evening, I was advised by the Funeral Director that forensic Dentists retained by the Medical Examiner, confirmed that the body in the funeral home was &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp . We were aqdvised to proceed with the Memorial Mass the next morning and then the body would be cremated. A few days later, the Funeral Director called and advised that Assistant Medical Examiner &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp wanted to meet with myself, my wife, and our four children the next day at the funeral home. When we met with &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp , we were informed that the Forensic Dentists had made an error. The body that they had identified as &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp and that had been cremated was not &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp . &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp apologized on behalf of Mayor Guiliani and the Medical Examiner. Needless to say, this was an horrific experience for my wife and I as well as &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp three brothers and sister. Pursuant to title IV of Public Law 107-42, (September 11 Victim Compensation Fund of 2001) regulations were adopted for the filing of claims by Victims and/or their Families. However, Section 403(b)(6) requires that any award made by the Special Master Feinberg must be offset by monies received from collateral sources such as life insurance even though the insurance premiums were not paid by the federal government. This means that if we were to file a claim against (the fund), we would be entitled to receive about $250,000.00 (non- economic loss) less the offset for insurance benefits. Since the insurance benefits would be excess of $250,000.00, we would receive absolutely nothing from the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund. And to make matters worse, a claimant who files for compensation against the "Fund" waives any right to file a civil action. These unfair and onerous provisions of Act and the regulations adopted will force many victims and their families to file civil actions against the federal government and other entitles whose negligence contributed to the September 11 tragedy. I sincerely hope that you and other fair minded members of Congress will endeavor to have these unfair provisions of the Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder removed. Respectfully yours, Individual Comment Manahawkin, NJ September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-01-14 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojN002589.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-01-14 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. December 14, 2001 Special Master Kenneth R. Feinberg September 11th Victim Compensation Fund U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20530 To Mr. Feinberg: I am writing to urge you to ensure fair treatment for all surviving families of the tragedy on September 11th, including the children and families of low-wage workers and gay and lesbian families. Under traditional rules based on lost wages, the survivors of a bond trader earning millions of dollars per year might receive thousands of times as much compensation as the survivors of a dishwasher in one of the restaurants destroyed. Justice requires looking far beyond the last paycheck to the inherent worth of all those killed, so that a high minimum compensation level is set to lessen the disparities. It would be a double blow to the survivors to first lose their loved one and then watch as most of the taxpayer money went to those who were already well off in the first place. The second major issue has to do with recognizing the legitimacy of gay and lesbian relationships and families. Gay and lesbian families are especially vulnerable when one partner is killed. Because the option of marriage is unavailable, these families may find themselves in the traumatic predicament of having to prove that their union is legitimate. Fortunately, both the Red Cross and the State of New York have already announced that they will not discriminate against gay and lesbian families. The Department of Justice should do the same. Thank you for considering my comments. I look forward to hearing how you will act on these very important issues. Sincerely, Individual Comment Lawton,OK September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-14 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA004470.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-14 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Sunday, March 17, 2002 9:37 PM (no subject) How dare you use your or other peoples bigotry to decide who is worthy of recognition by the September 11th fund. To eliminate gay people from receipt of the funds is so - so sad. To perpetuate the bigotry of some states is no excuse for not doing what is right. I suppose the only small pleasure that I as a Christian American may have in the long run, is the that I will feel very sad and ashamed for you as I watch you burn in hell for eternity. God did not claim that gay people are bad - only man. Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-17 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojR001682.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-03-17 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Thursday, December 20, 2001 3:10 AM Equal Access to Relief Benefits December 20, 2001 Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick, I write as a member of Amnesty International, a worldwide human rights movement committed to ensuring respect for the basic human rights of people without discrimination, in support of equal access to benefits under the September 11 Victims Relief Fund for all victims, regardless of sexual orientation or marital status. As you know, the United States has committed to uphold international human rights standards, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibit arbitrary discrimination. As you consider rules for administering the relief fund, I ask that you apply basic international human rights standards, and the general principle of equality, by including among relatives eligible for compensation those who lost their life partners, as well as de facto parents or children, without regard to sexual orientation or marital status. The State of New York has already adopted such a policy, granting compensation benefits "on a showing of mutual interdependence with the victim, in recognition that anyone who shared with the victim living expenses, day to day activities and the emotional bonds of family deserves help in this time of need." Many lesbian and gay people were killed in the September 11th attacks. Since then, lesbian and gay surviving partners of those killed have had mixed results in obtaining equal treatment at the local level in the distribution of relief funds by private and state agencies. An inclusive policy on the part of the federal government would help establish an important principle for other such funds. In compensating victims, real justice will be served only when all families - and all types of families - impacted by the human rights tragedy of September 11 are treated with dignity and equality. Thank you for considering my concerns. I look forward to hearing from you about your efforts to ensure that all surviving victims of the September 11 attacks have equal access to the relief fund. Sincerely, Individual Comment DENVER, CO September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-20 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA004108.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-20 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Wednesday, March 13, 2002 3:41 PM Unbelievable I read that the partners of the homosexual HEROS on September 11th will not be compensated as fully as the heterosexual heros. I am absolutely beyond sickened in this. This policy is a desecration to the memory of those who died so that others would not on that terrifying day and the Bush Administration should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this. Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-13 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojR000671.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-03-13 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. December 17, 2001 Special Master Kenneth R. Feinberg September 11th Victim Compensation Fund U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20530 To Mr. Feinberg: I am writing to urge you to ensure fair treatment for all surviving families of the tragedy on September 11th, including the children and families of low-wage workers and gay and lesbian families. Under traditional rules based on lost wages, the survivors of a bond trader earning millions of dollars per year might receive thousands of times as much compensation as the survivors of a dishwasher in one of the restaurants destroyed. Justice requires looking far beyond the last paycheck to the inherent worth of all those killed, so that a high minimum compensation level is set to lessen the disparities. It would be a double blow to the survivors to first lose their loved one and then watch as most of the taxpayer money went to those who were already well off in the first place. The second major issue has to do with recognizing the legitimacy of gay and lesbian relationships and families. Gay and lesbian families are especially vulnerable when one partner is killed. Because the option of marriage is unavailable, these families may find themselves in the traumatic predicament of having to prove that their union is legitimate. Fortunately both the Red Cross and the State of New York have already announced that they will not discriminate against gay and lesbian families. The Department of Justice should do the same. Thank you for considering my comments. I look forward to hearing how you will act on these very important issues. Sincerely, Individual Comment Hayward, CA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-17 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojN001171.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-17 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Thursday, March 21, 2002 7:45 PM Don't discriminate against gay people Mr. Fienberg, I cannot believe what I witnessed when I saw you on Meet the Press. You actually feel that is is okay to "BEND" the rules for illegal aliens living in this country and you can't find a way to "LEGALLY" give what is due to our gay partners who lost a loved one in the September 11 tragedy. I think that you are being truely UNAMERICAN. Maybe we should brand you as the new Terrorist to our country and start an all out war against you and all of your kind that feel that Gay people are less deserving than other Americans. Give the September 11 funds to everyone who lost a loved one not just your preferred select few. Individual Comment Miami, FL September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-21 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojR002582.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-03-21 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. November 21, 2001 Dear Mr. Attorney General, As the elected legislator representing thousands of survivors of the September 11th attacks and their families, I have a great interest in ensuring that they receive prompt and adequate financial payment which would, in part, compensate them for their incomprehensible losses. I am writing to urge you to include all of those who suffered this grievous emotional loss and significant financial loss by employing the broadest possible interpretation of the phrases "physical harm," "immediate aftermath" and "collateral source." Proper application of these phrases, as used in this Act, is critical to ensure that eligible survivors and family members receive just compensation and appropriate awards. Specifically, "physical harm" should include those suffering from post-traumatic disorders due to the events of September 11th, for example, difficulty performing daily tasks and/or normal functions. It is also critical to ensure that compensation is paid for harm that arises or is discovered after a claim is filed or after the time frame for filing a claim has passed. Survivors, rescue and recovery workers, and other persons in New York City and elsewhere inhaled dangerous levels of toxic substances on September 11th and after. The Attorney General's regulations must assure that harm resulting from these exposures is fully compensable under the Act. "Immediate aftermath" must be viewed in a broad geographic sense, as well. For example, persons in other parts of Manhattan and in other New York communities may have been miles away from "ground zero," yet suffered physical harm from toxic plumes that were emitted. The "collateral source" category described in the act must be narrowly drawn so as not to punish survivors and family members who received assistance from charitable organizations. "Collateral source" should only include funds received through a contract, an enforceable agreement, or a protected interest in a government entitlement, such as a social security benefit. Further, compensation under the Act should be available without regard to the immigration status of the victim, survivor or family member. The death and destruction wrought by these tragic events did not discriminate based on age, gender, occupation or legal status. All those injured and their survivors and family members should be compensated. The Attorney General's regulation should provide that no person who elects to seek compensation under the Act will be punished for that election. Domestic partners and family members of domestic partners should receive compensation in the same manner as the spouses and children of married partners. The grief suffered by domestic partners and their family members is no less than that suffered by traditional families; it should be compensated no less. In this instance I urge you to follow the actions of Governor Pataki in his Executive Order relating to Crime Victim Awards from the events of September 11th. A waiver of rights occurs very early in the application process and before the statute of limitations may have expired for the commencement of a civil action. As a result, those claimants who suffered damages undiscovered at the time of filing a claim must have the opportunity to withdraw their claim and rescind such a waiver. Allowing 60 days from the time of a filed claim for the rescission of a waiver would balance fairness with finality. In addition, to facilitate the application process and avoid undue burden on the applicants, claimants should be asked to submit no more documentation than is necessary to demonstrate eligibility. Where a governmental entity has recognized a death or injury, that recognition should be accepted under the Act without requiring additional proof. Also, while the Act does not expressly address the issue, the Attorney General's regulations should make clear that a claimant may administratively appeal any determination of the Special Master. All forms and informational brochures should include a toll-free telephone number applicants may call for assistance. Telephone assistance should be available in all appropriate languages, in recognition of the wonderful diversity of New York City. To help ensure that all persons eligible for compensation under the Act learn of the compensation fund, the Attorney General should develop a public outreach and advertising campaign. Advertisements should contain objective information and offer a toll-free telephone number. Advertising should not be a forum for campaign-style rhetoric or the promotion of one or more public officials. The clear intent of the Act is to assure generous compensation for survivors and family members of the victims of these heinous attacks. Compensation should include lost wages for the anticipated lifespan of the deceased, college expenses for children, lifetime medical insurance and coverage for ongoing medical expenses. Economic loss should include loss of earnings or other benefits related to employment, medical expense loss, replacement services loss, loss due to death, burial costs and loss of business or employment opportunities. The Attorney General's regulations should also assure compensation for non-economic losses, including physical and emotional pain, suffering, inconvenience, physical impairment, mental anguish, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of society and companionship and injury to reputation. The Act passed by Congress was intended to compensate the many survivors of the terrible attacks of September 11th. I urge you to broadly define the criteria set forth in the legislation, to ensure that those who were particularly victimized by the deaths of people close to them in the attacks on September 11th can receive prompt and adequate compensation. Sincerely, Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-11-21 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojW000644.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-11-21 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Monday, November 26, 2001 2:06 PM September 11th Victim Compensation Dear Attorney General Ashcroft, The deaths on September 11th were the result of an attack on America. Please do not discriminate against the unmarried partners of September 11th victims. I firmly believe that all unmarried partners, gay or straight, young and old and their dependents should be eligible for compensation. Yours Sincerely, Individual Comment San Francisco, CA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-11-26 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojW000585.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-11-26 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Monday, November 12, 2001 4:55 PM What about victims that have lost their jobs due to lay-offs because of Sept. 11? How can we compensate them??????????? Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-11-12 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojW000327.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-11-12 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. December 12, 2001 Kenneth L. Zwick, Director Office of Mangement Programs, Civil Division U.S. Department of Justice Via Fax: 301-519-5956 Dear Mr. Zwick, On behalf of the more than 1,050 congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, we urge the Department of Justice to include among relatives eligible for compensation those who lost their life partners or de facto parents or children, regardless of sexual orientation and marital status. The laudable purpose of the September 11th Fund is to provide compensationfor the losses of relatives of those who died, and those who were injured. It is crucial for the many grieving families that the regulations implementing this purpose permit recovery for all deserving relatives, including the committed partners or non-biological children of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender victims of the attacks. Those who lost beloved companions, parents, or children have suffered immeasurably, and should not be forced to endure the additional hardship of being denied compensation for their losses. The support of the Unitarian Universalist Association stems from our most deeply-held religious beliefs, as they are expressed in our Principles and Purposes. We believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and we affirm the need for justice, equity and compassion in human relations. We therefore urge you to ensure that all family members of the September 11th victims are eligible for financial support, regardless of the strict legality of their relationship. On September 11, our differences took a back seat to our common victimization. The tragedy gave our nation an urgent need to come together as never before. As the logistivs of how to distribute compensation are worked out, we urge you to treat all victims as equal. Those who are still suffering emotionally and economically deserve a compassionate response from the American people, charities, and our government, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, family status, or any other strict legal classification. Excluding people based on these factors would be glaringly inconsistent with our national spirit of unity, as well as the religious teachings of not only our faith tradition but countless others. Again, we urge you to treat all victims equally. Sincerely, Comment By Unitarian universalist Association of Congregations Washington, DC September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-12 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA005480.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-12 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. December 13, 2001 Special Master Kenneth R. Feinberg September 11th Victim Compensation Fund U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20530 To Mr. Feinberg: I am writing to urge you to ensure fair treatment for all surviving families of the tragedy on September 11th, including the children and families of low-wage workers and gay and lesbian families. Under traditional rules based on lost wages, the survivors of a bond trader earning millions of dollars per year might receive thousands of times as much compensation as the survivors of a dishwasher in one of the restaurants destroyed. Justice requires looking far beyond the last paycheck to the inherent worth of all those killed, so that a high minimum compensation level is set to lessen the disparities. It would be a double blow to the survivors to first lose their loved one and then watch as most of the taxpayer money went to those who were already well off in the first place. The second major issue has to do with recognizing the legitimacy of gay and lesbian relationships and families. Gay and lesbian families are especially vulnerable when one partner is killed. Because the option of marriage is unavailable, these families may find themselves in the traumatic predicament of having to prove that their union is legitimate. Fortunately, both the Red Cross and the State of New York have already announced that they will not discriminate against gay and lesbian families. The Department of Justice should do the same. Thank you for considering my comments. I look forward to hearing how you will act on these very important issues. Sincerely, Individual Comment Astoria, NY September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-13 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA004025.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-13 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. November 26, 2001 Kenneth L. Zwick, Director Office of Management Programs Civil Division U.S. Department of Justice Main Building, Room 3140 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, D.C. 20530 Re: Comments on the Department of Justice's Rulemaking Regarding the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 The American Civil Liberties Union respectfully submits the following comments in response to the Department's November 5, 2001 Notice of Inquiry and Advanced Notice of Rulemaking Re: the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001. The ACLU urges the Attorney General to make the Fund available to same-sex partners of deceased victims. Unless the Attorney General takes that step, same-sex partners will have no choice but to have the courts apply the authorizing statute's choice of law rule to order relief under the laws of states that recognize the right of a same-sex partner to recover for the death of his or her partner. The purpose of the September 11th Fund is to provide victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks with the ability to recover relatively quick and certain compensation from the government in exchange for a waiver of claims they might otherwise have against the airlines or other entities that may have been negligent or otherwise culpable in the hours, days, or weeks leading up to the attacks. To encourage the maximum number of potential claimants to elect compensation through the Fund instead of through the courts, the Fund must be designed to ensure that all potential claimants who could recover in court could also recover through the Fund. One action the Department can take to encourage the maximum number of potential claimants to elect compensation through the Fund rather than through the courts is to ensure that the regulations implementing the Fund recognize same-sex partners of decedents or injured parties as potential beneficiaries of the Fund. Failure to do this could have far-reaching ripple effects: For every individual who cannot recover for his or her loss through the Fund, at least one more piece of litigation will likely result in the courts. Same-Sex partners, if excluded from the scope of the Fund, could pursue litigation based on the laws of many states, including states whose laws already do or are likely to recognize same-sex relationships. The Fund's authorizing legislation provides that anyone electing to seek compensation in court, as opposed to though the Fund, must bring suit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, See Section 408(b)(3). However, the legislation also provides that the "substantive law for decision in any such suit shall be derived from the law, including choice of law principles, of the State in which the crash occurred...." Section 408(b)(2) (emphasis added). While the crashes occurred in New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, the choice of law rules of those states could easily result in the application of other states' law to the disputes. For example, the law of Massachusetts or New Jersey could apply, since the planes took off from Boston and Newark as well as Dulles. The law of Washington state could apply, since some of the planes were manufactured and fitted with inadequate cockpit doors. And the law of a variety of other states, including California, could apply, since machines such as the x-ray machines used to examine luggage or metal detectors used to screen people prior to boarding the planes were likely manufactured in many different locales. Thus the law of at least five states, but most likely that of many more states, may ultimately determine who can sue to recover for the losses occurring on September 11th. These states include New Jersey, whose law would allow a same-sex partner to recover for the death of his or her partner, and California, which has provided the same rights through case law and statute. In addition, if same-sex partners are excluded from recovery through the Fund, they will have no choice but to pursue what we believe will be powerful state and federal constitutional attacks on any state laws that would exclude them from recovery by failing to recognize their committed relationships with the deceased. For the foregoing reasons, the ACLU urges the Attorney General to reduce the likelihood of what could be a new flood of litigation by ensuring that same-sex partners of victims of September 11th be eligible for recovery through the fund. Thank you for your attention to these comment's. Please do not hesitate to call us if you need any additional information regarding this matter. Respectfully submitted, Comment by: AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION Washington, D.C. September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-11-26 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojW000800.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-11-26 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Monday, March 18, 2002 10:29 AM 911fund I wish that I could say that I am surprised that the decision to exclude same sex partners from receiving their share of the September eleventh fund. We have the nerve to ask "why do they hate us so much," and then we go and do something like this. First our country discriminated against women, then African Americans, Jews, ect, and now of course it only follows suit that we continue the trend with homosexuals............... And we (as a country) claim to be so superior. I think not. Funny how no one ask me if my "gay money" was good enough to donate. I guess we should have split off into a separate group to take care of our own. And we wonder why even our country is so divided................... I won't happen again. Next time I will be more careful of where my money goes! Sincerely, Individual Comment Ft. Worth, TX September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-18 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojR001735.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-03-18 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Wednesday, December 19, 2001 9:57 AM In support of equal access to crisis relief benefits December 19, 2001 Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick, I write as a member of Amnesty International, a worldwide human rights movement committed to ensuring respect for the basic human rights of people without discrimination, in support of equal access to benefits under the September 11 Victims Relief Fund for all victims, regardless of sexual orientation or marital status. As you know, the United States has committed to uphold international human rights standards, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibit arbitrary discrimination. As you consider rules for administering the relief fund, I ask that you apply basic international human rights standards, and the general principle of equality, by including among relatives eligible for compensation those who lost their life partners, as well as de facto parents or children, without regard to sexual orientation or marital status. The State of New York has already adopted such a policy, granting compensation benefits "on a showing of mutual interdependence with the victim, in recognition that anyone who shared with the victim living expenses, day to day activities and the emotional bonds of family deserves help in this time of need." Many lesbian and gay people were killed in the September 11th attacks. Since then, lesbian and gay surviving partners of those killed have had mixed results in obtaining equal treatment at the local level in the distribution of relief funds by private and state agencies. An inclusive policy on the part of the federal government would help establish an important principle for other such funds. In compensating victims, real justice will be served only when all families - and all types of families - impacted by the human rights tragedy of September 11 are treated with dignity and equality. Thank you for considering my concerns. I look forward to hearing from you about your efforts to ensure that all surviving victims of the September 11 attacks have equal access to the relief fund. Sincerely, Individual Comment Denver, CO September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA002914.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Thursday, December 20, 2001 7:56 PM Subject: equal rights for all 9/11 victims! December 20, 2001 Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick, I am a member of Amnesty International, a worldwide human rights coalition dedicated to ensuring respect for the basic human rights of people without discrimination, in support of equal access to benefits under the September 11 Victims Relief Fund for all victims, without regard to sexual orientation or marital status. I believe that the United States has been committed to upholding international human rights standards, which includes the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibit arbitrary discrimination. I ask that you apply basic international human rights standards, and the general principle of equality, compensating life partners as well as de facto parents or children who have lost loved ones on 9/11, without regard to sexual orientation or marital status. AI reports that the State of New York has already adopted such a policy, granting compensation benefits "on a showing of mutual interdependence with the victim, in recognition that anyone who shared with the victim living expenses, day to day activities and the emotional bonds of family deserves help in this time of need." In the 9/11 attacks, many lesbian and gay citizens perished. Now the loved ones of those killed have had mixed results in obtaining equal treatment at the local level in the distribution of relief funds by private and state agencies. If the government would create an inclusive policy, this would help establish an important principle for other such funds. Real justice will be obtained only when all families and all types of families who have suffered such unbearable loss on 9/11 are treated with dignity, equality, respect and admiration for their courage. Thank you for your consideration. I will be anxious to hear about your efforts to ensure that all surviving victims of the 9/11 attacks have equal access to the relief fund. Sincerely, Individual Comment Fairless Hills, PA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-20 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojN000099.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-20 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Monday, December 17, 2001 8:13 PM Disbursement of Funds I am writing to support the equal distribution of funds to those families who were not in the conventional marriage or relationship such as a GAY couple (male & female), or those who had lived together. It may mean that some type of documentation would be required to verify that the individuals were a couple. I am assuming that those married partners would also have to show some documentation as to their claim to the money. I feel it is time to recognize all who are hurting because of the loss of a loved one. Thank you for the opportunity to make known my thoughts. Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-17 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA002135.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-17 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Monday, November 26, 2001 4:36 PM Comments on the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act Dear Mr. Zwick, Attached please find our comments on the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act. If you can not open the attachment, please contact me at . Thank you --------------------- New York, NY November 26, 2001 Kenneth L. Zwick Director, Office of Management Programs Civil Division U.S. Department of Justice Main Building, Room 3140 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20530 Dear Mr. Zwick: We are writing to provide comments on the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act, (hereinafter, "The Act"). The points that we would like to comment on are twofold. First, with regard to the consideration of "collateral source" as defined in Section 401 of Title IV, and the associated "collateral compensation" as set forth under Section 405(b)(6), we would comment as follows: The acts of September 11, 2001 were a very emotional and trying time for every American. We have spent time reviewing some of the heart wrenching comments submitted by the victims surviving family members and they are truly disturbing. However, it is imperative that the underlying rationale for the Act be remembered - - and that is, to ensure that Americas air transportation system will continue to function and be a viable part of the United States economy. For this reason, the only conclusion that should be reached is that charitable contributions that have been either received by, or earmarked for victims families must be treated as a collateral source and any compensation should be reduced by the amount actually received. Collateral charitable contributions should not be ignored in considering plaintiffs compensation from the air carrier under the Act. To not include charitable contributions, in light of these unusual circumstances, would put the airline industry and insurance providers that support the ongoing viability of the airline industry in jeopardy. If victims families are allowed to recover compensatory damages irrespective of charitable donations, then these claimants would essentially be obtaining a windfall while future Americans that loose loved ones would be without recovery because the insurance industry that supports the airlines may not be there for such future claims. The events of September 11 are horrific and are indelibly etched in every Americans mind. What the victims families have gone through is unthinkable, and it is also difficult to comprehend the tens of thousands of lives that have been forever changed, but this Act must balance what is fair in compensating the victims of this tragedy with ensuring that the airline industry continues to be a vital part of the American way of life, continuing to be there for future Americans. The airline industry will not be able to exist without insurance, and the insurance carriers that will be responsible for bearing the bulk of the loss stemming from September 11th will be stretched to their elastic limits. Consequently, we ask that the charitable contributions received by victims families from the generous outpouring of supportive Americans be included in the victims total compensation under the Act. This will in effect allow these contributions to be used for the greater good of all Americans. The second element that we would like to comment on regards representation by counsel before the Special Master. Under Section 405(b)(4)(A), the claimant shall have the right to be represented by an attorney and under (B) the right to present evidence including the presentation of witnesses and documents. There is no provision currently noted for the air carrier, as defined under the Act, to be represented by counsel. We would recommend that in the event the claimant chose to be represented by counsel, then the air carrier should have the option of being represented by counsel out of fairness. For those cases where the claimants choose not to be represented by an attorney, then likewise the air carrier should not have the opportunity to be represented by counsel. The intent of this comment is to strike an equitable balance in these proceedings. Comment By: Mendes & Mount, LLP New York, NY September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-11-26 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojW000656.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-11-26 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Tuesday, January 01, 2002 2:09 PM New Vote.com votes as of 02:09 PM Dear September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, Vote.com is the Internet's most popular voting site. Millions of people regularly express their opinions and - in just one click - automatically send their views to important decision makers like you. Here are the latest votes on the question, DOES THE GOVERNMENT'S AID PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES OF SEPT. 11 VICTIMS GO FAR ENOUGH?: YES: 216 votes NO: 10 votes Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-01-01 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojN001275.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-01-01